Social Commentary

When you were a wee little lass, did you ever desire to have the hair like Barbie's? Or, as you began to develop into the blossoming figure of a woman, the shape of Barbie's volupous body? Though I did not play with Barbie much in my formible years, I do recall a slight jealousy to her "perfect"ness. Maybe I refused to be subject to the girlish things because I always felt an intimidation to the world as depicted by the dolls of Barbie. I knew I was neither beautiful, nor socially skilled at the girl "stuff", and I rather felt a fear of my fellow sex. I saw the "I like you today, but tomorrow I'll hate you." and it made me afraid. Very afraid. I also did not see guys as the big barometer to judge my worth. However, I did go through phases like all people are subject too. I weighed my attractiveness on someone else's judgment (such as seen by the world of Barbie) and my ability to have friends based on who was my friend. I was the leeching mass as illustrated by Ayn Rand.

I gained confidence through my guy friends and my very firm founded friendships with girls. Who like me, did not see why girls were so fickle and were often the subject of their prejudice. As I write that sentence I have a new found appreciation for my brothers and sisters; they were my unshaken network of playmates. I always found a form of acceptance with them. Anyway, the ironic thing is that in having my guy friends, I found further dissention from the same sex. They saw me as a "player" and a "flirter". When in truth, I found a security in certain types of guys because they were a dependable barometer of my "likability factor". Sad, hunh? I also learned a VERY valuable lesson in my sophmore year; that if a guy really likes you for you, then it doesn't matter what you look like or whether you are socially "correct". And I transferred that knowledge to my girl friendships too. It has made a lifetime of difference...

So, here are my daughters. Growing up in a society even more ridden with the culture of beauty, sex-appeal, and the "likability factor". And I let them play with Barbie. At least Barbie has become aware, and acknowledged, parents like me who are nervous about what message the doll portays; and have created a "disney-like" and "fairy-tale-like" world of characters. Nonetheless, my apprehension of what my daughters may conceive beauty and worthiness as, is there. And, is ready to defend my daughters against the "parasites" of thought and individuality. :)

Adios!